Claws
by RyukInPerson
Summary: After killing the man who took her best friend from the world, Sepharina is left in pieces, her past, present and powers turning her into a myth of the New York underworld - Until she meets Logan, the awkward man who could destroy or save her. Logan/OC
1. Mysterious

Disclaimer: I do not own X-men or anything related to to Marvel Comics.

* * *

CLAWS

MYSTERIOUS

The club was dark, the music so loud that he was sure that the other ravers would not hear her screams. His lips curled as he followed her into a back room, one that had been hidden behind an abandoned bar. She was asking for it, begging for his anger, his strength, the pain he would willingly give to her.

He felt his eyes darken in anticipation, his teeth sharpening, the little spines on his back extending to poke through his shirt. He could feel that blood lust rising, the need to grasp that slender neck in his hands and crush the life from her.

But not before other needs had been taken care of.

He gripped her shoulders, spinning her on her toes before pushing her back against the wall, his body instantly covering hers. He claimed her lips, his hand reaching for her thigh, hiking her dress up.

She pushed against his chest, trying to pull back. 'Hey!' she said, looking to the side, tasting blood. 'Stop it.'

'Why?' he laughed, wrapping his hands around her wrists. He slammed them against the wall of the corridor, holding them above her head, watching the pain in her eyes as he tightened his grip. 'What are you going to do to s–'

He gasped, wondering how she'd managed to wind him. He tried to breathe, but nothing came, no matter how much he gasped. He gripped his throat, his eyes wide as he met a swirling white gaze.

'Feeling a little breathless, _Predator_?' she asked, pushing him back. He hit the opposite wall, clawing at his neck, desperately trying to drag air into his lungs as he sank to the ground.

'What are you doing?' he choked, his eyes still dark.

'I'm forcing the air from your lungs,' she said simply, crouching beside him, no sympathy in her eyes. 'It's rather fitting, really. After all, you strangled your victims, crushing their windpipes.'

'How do you know that?'

'I've been tracking you for a while,' she said, examining her fingernails for a moment. 'You killed my best friend.' Her eyes narrowed, the white drifting from her eyes like mist. 'That was a very bad idea.'

He threw a fist and she caught it, her fingers tightening around his until he screamed, though only a wheeze could be heard.

'Now now, aren't you beginning to wonder why you're still alive?' she asked, releasing his broken hand.

He cradled his fingers against his chest as he asked, 'why?'

'I'm keeping just enough air in your lungs for you to live. If I wanted to, I could keep you like this for a _very_ long time, on the verge of a breath that you will never have,' she said, tracing her fingers over his jaws. She gripped the little silver ring that jutted from his bottom lip.

Then she ripped it out.

He tried to scream, but again could only wheeze, tears coming to his eyes as blood rolled down his chin and filled his mouth.

'But I don't really think I can be bothered keeping you like this.'

His eyes widened as the little air remaining in his lungs was forced from his body, leaving him gasping in vain, his bleeding lips turning blue as his skin paled.

His body went limp and she stood, dropping the silver ring beside him.

She didn't relish killing the Predator, but Clara wanted to stop him, to know that her killer would never harm another. That was what she had told Sepharina on the night of the attack. She was a telepath, and in her last moments she had expressed her wishes, throwing the words into he best friend's mind.

'_Stop him, before he does this to another.' _

And Sepharina had tried, but for so long, he was just a step ahead. But he left a trail of bodies, and she had followed them, using all of her training and skills to stalk him, to turn him into prey.

She closed her eyes for a moment, taking a breath to calm herself. The white mist disappeared, revealing the pale blue of her eyes as she stepped back into the music and lights of the club, weaving her way across the dance floor to the exit, stepping out into the cool breeze. She ducked down an alleyway, pausing for a moment as a whirlwind collected around her, dispersing to leave nothing but shifted rubbish.

* * *

The wind felt good as it blew through his hair, the helmet he never used sitting on the back of his motorbike. He concentrated on the roar of the engine, the world turning to a blur of green and grey as he sped through the mountains at breakneck speeds.

Ha. As if he had to worry about a broken neck.

He pulled over, stopping at a cliff face, looking out at the city as the horizon turned red. He pulled a cigar from jacket pocket, slicing the end before biting down. He dug in his pockets, rolling his eyes when he found no lighter.

Right, he'd lost it when he'd tried to take on Gambit. That had not been one of his best ideas.

He clenched his fists, feeling his claws push past the bones in his hands to lengthen between his knuckles. He flicked his wrist, the claws grazing each other, sparking to ignite the cigar.

He took a long pull from the cigar, flexing his fingers once his claws had retracted. He closed his eyes for a moment, completely oblivious to the buzzing in his pocket, his whole being focused on that cigar.

Until the buzzing turned to a ring.

He rolled his eyes, digging in his pocket for a moment to extract the ringing device. 'Logan,' he answered, his voice gruff, conveying his displeasure.

'I need you to do something for me.'

He covered the receiver for a moment, swearing under his breath. 'Fine, but there had better be a good reason for it.'

'There's some crazy weather going on in the city, like tornadoes in the middle of the street crazy,' Gambit said.

'And you need my help, why?'

'Because we know that a mutant is doing it, we just don't know who. Could you go check it out?'

He closed his eyes, taking a breath. 'Yeah, fine.'

'It seems to be centred around Old St Patrick's Cathedral, and the weather just keeps coming.'

'I'll go have a look.'

'Thanks Logan. I'll catch you later.'

He snapped the mobile phone closed, so close to breaking the irritating device. He took another calming pull from the cigar, throwing his leg over the bike before speeding back down through the mountains.

* * *

There were no lights shining from the cathedral. Every window was black, but Logan could see something moving within, the tiniest flickers of eerie white flashing in the darkness. He stepped lightly – as lightly as a man with adamantium bonded to his bones could – as he approached the heavy doors.

He tried the handle, his eyebrow quirking as he found that the doors were unlocked. He crept inside, closing the door quietly behind him before he stepped forward, walking down the aisle, his eyes locked ahead of him on a sight that made him pause.

She was glowing, white mist flowing around her like a slow tornado, covering her perfect skin in light. Her hair was floating, the blonde almost as white as the mist. She was beautiful, breathtaking, but something told him that she was dangerous.

Logan took a few more steps, stopping halfway along the aisle, flexing his fingers as he waited, but she didn't acknowledge him. He cocked his head a little, trying to get a better look at her face, wondering if she was crying as he cleared his throat. 'Ah, excuse me.'

She looked up, her eyes swirling with the same white mist that surrounded her. She stood up, her movements quick and agile, her gaze never leaving him.

He held up his hands. 'I'm not here to hurt you.'

To his surprise, she smirked. 'You couldn't hurt me if you tried.'

She appeared just in front of him, the mist dispersing to reveal icy blue eyes. She laughed, reaching up to flick his nose.

He tried to grab her, but his hands went through mist. He turned on his heel, trying to follow her laughter as it bounced off the cathedral walls. He clenched his fists, his claws pushing through his skin.

'_Oh_,' she laughed, the sound echoing around him. 'Kitty has claws.'

'Who are you?'

'A gentlemen would introduce himself first.'

He looked up to one on the windows. She was standing on the ledge, looking down at him with a smile on her lips. He dropped his hands, though he didn't hide his claws. 'I'm Logan,' he said, the words bitten off. 'What's your name?'

She disappeared, coming to stand on the window opposite, on the other side of the cathedral. 'Sepharina,' she said, watching as he followed her voice. 'Now, Logan – actually I'll call you Kitten – what are you doing here? You see, I know why I'm here. I am grieving, and a cathedral always seems to be a good setting to do that.' She tapped her chin, her voice nonchalant despite her words. 'But you don't seem to have a purpose here. Well, except _not_ harming me.'

'Actually, I'm here to ask you to stop making tornadoes outside,' he said. 'You're scaring the locals.'

'Not a lot I can do about that. See, I can control air, and all air within, say, a two mile radius reacts to my emotions,' she explained, 'hence the tornadoes.'

'You remind me of Storm.'

'Ah, but she can control weather on a much more extensive scale. I am more focused, sort of like an elemental.'

He quirked an eyebrow at her. 'Right,' he said after a moment. 'Well, could you stop the tornadoes?'

Logan wasn't always good with people.

She appeared before him, her eyes swirling with white, the mist dispersing into the air around her. 'Yeah, I'll just stop grieving over my best friend. It wasn't that bad when she was murdered. I mean, we'd only been friends my entire life, so I can't miss her that much.'

He retracted his claws, holding his hands up as he took a step back. 'Sorry lady, I didn't know.'

'Then think before you speak,' she growled. 'Or I'll make sure you never utter another word.'

'How are you going to do t–' His eyes widened as he tried to take in a breath, but the air was forced from his lungs.

'That's how.'

He gasped as the air returned to his lungs, his face red as he took desperate gasps. 'Noted,' he rasped, leaning on a pew for a moment.

She turned on her heel, walking down the aisle towards the doors. 'Well, I guess I'm going to have to find somewhere else to be alone,' she said, her steps making no sound. 'Goodbye.' She paused in the doorway, turning back to smirk at him. 'Kitten.'

He sneered, watching as she turned to mist, disappearing through the slowly opening door. 'Ah shit,' he muttered, looking at the claw marks in the pew beside him.

He turned, straightening his jacket as he walked down the aisle to the doors and back to his motorbike. He pulled his mobile phone from his pocket, quickly dialling Gambit's number. There were only two rings before he answered.

'Hello,' he answered, yelling over the noise in the background.

Logan swore, recognising the thumping beat as _Daft Punk_. 'You went out _clubbing_, while I went to talk to the pissed off air girl,' he growled into the receiver.

'It was just a girl?'

'Yeah, a girl who can force the air from someone's lungs and turn to mist,' he said.

'Did she kick your ass?'

'No,' he denied instantly, though part of him recognised truth in his friend's statement. She could have kicked his ass up and down the aisle in an instant if she chose to. 'That's not the point. She's like Storm. The air around her reacts to her emotions. The only reason she was making the tornadoes was because she was sad.'

'How can you be sure?'

'She got very angry when I asked her to stop making the tornadoes. Went on about a best friend that was murdered,' he said. He mentally lashed himself, remembering his _stupid_ question. 'She was being serious.'

'Well I hope you tried to comfort her.'

Logan rolled his eyes. 'Very funny,' he said. 'But I don't take advantage of grieving girls.'

'Are you suggesting that I do?' Gambit asked, sounding offended.

'No, I just…' He sighed, leaning on his motorbike.

There was silence on the other end for a moment before he spoke, letting out a similar sigh. 'She got you riled, didn't she big guy?'

He looked up to the sky, the stars shining overhead. 'I guess so.'

'Don't get hung up on it, Logan,' he said. 'See you tonight.'

'More like in the morning. Don't wake me up when you get in.'

Gambit smirked. 'I'll try not to.'

Logan snapped the phone shut, though more carefully than before. He sat for a moment before throwing his leg over his motorbike. He sped off into the night, trying to concentrate on the wind in his hair, the feeling of it as it flowed over his skin.

Like mist.

He shook his head. Why was she still in his thoughts? Why could he still hear her voice, smell her skin, feel her finger as she flicked his nose? God, he'd never been so intoxicated by anyone.

And he hadn't been even known her for ten minutes.

Not only that, she had called him _Kitten_, had ridiculed him, taunted him right to his face and yet it didn't seem to matter.

_I must be going soft, _he thought as he sped along the roads, making his way to Gambit's. Through X-Mansion was, in many ways, his home, he liked Gambit's apartment. It was relaxed, with a jukebox of great tunes and a comfortable bed away from the teenagers at the academy, kids who liked to sneak around at night. He would always catch them, of course, and they would claim to be testing his hearing.

Mostly though, it was Rogue or Bobby sneaking between each other's rooms.

Logan stripped his jacket, hanging it on the hook beside his door. He sat on the edge of his bed, the springs squeaking beneath his weight. He pulled his shirt over his head, rubbing his eyes as he lay back, not bothering to pull back the covers. He folded his hands behind his head, staring up at the blank ceiling, his mind filled with thoughts of Sepharina, the mysterious girl able to control air.

She seemed harmless and dangerous at the same time, her voice almost playful even as she spoke of grieving for her lost best friend. She confused him, infuriated him, and yet he wanted to know more about her.


	2. Ghost

GHOST

It was midnight when Sepharina returned to her apartment, falling straight onto her bed. The Predator was dead. Clara and the other girls had been avenged, but his death would not bring them back.

It was on nights as dark as these, when she truly felt that emptiness that had dug a hole in her heart after Clara's death, that she wished she had someone to come home to, to be able to curl up in the arms of a man she loved and lose herself in his embrace.

But she didn't have anyone. She was alone, and no matter how much she wanted to belong in the world, she was a mutant. There wasn't a place for her, not really, especially when she was upset.

She drifted off, only to fall into a nightmare, Clara in her arms, bruises covering her neck, her skin covered in bites. She collapsed to the ground in tears, screaming to the sky. It was a reoccurring nightmare, though it always had the same effect, tearing her apart from the inside.

But it suddenly changed.

A figure appeared before her, surrounded by light. They lifted her into their arms, cradling her against a broad chest. She clutched at them, burying her face in their jacket, the leather rough but comforting.

'It's over, Sepharina,' the figure said, their voice deep and soothing.

And familiar.

She shot up in bed, her eyes wide as she looked around the room, her chest heaving, her heart beating so hard she could hear it. She forced herself to take a deep breath, making the air in her room slowly swirl around her, creating a soft breeze that drifted over her skin. After a moment, she relaxed, releasing the sheets as she lay back.

That was the first night she dreamed about Logan.

* * *

Though he knew that he would never see her again, he dreamt of her that night and the many nights that followed. She taunted him, calling him Kitten, laughing. But somehow he knew it was all a disguise, a mask to hide the anguish inside.

Logan dropped the end of his cigar into the trash as he walked along the street, groceries in hand. The sun had just set and he needed to get back to Gambit's apartment with all of the essentials required for a poker game: Spirits, beer, cigarettes, and the list went on.

He felt a rush of wind through his hair, the weather taking a strange turn as he glanced around. He shrugged it off, scratching his chin even as a man sprinted past.

Then a white blur collided with him.

'Ow,' it said, rubbing it's nose as it came into focus, delicate cheekbones and chin appearing from the white mist as she said, 'geez man, steroids much?'

He snapped his jaw shut just as she looked up at him, her gaze accusing. 'You,' he said, his eyes narrowing slightly as the recognition hit.

Sepharina barely hid the surprise that threatened to slap her across the face. She met his gaze and almost blushed, remembering all of the dreams she had been having, all centred around him, around that broad chest and those strong arms. She forced herself to hold her glare. 'Actually, I'm me.'

'You're like a ghost.'

_More than you know, _she thought. 'Uh huh. Now get the hell out of my way.'

'You don't recognise me?'

'Now is not the time for you to have self-esteem issues, Kitten.'

_Kitten, _he thought. _She remembers me. _He just kept the smile from his lips. He stepped to the side as she tried to sidestep him.

'I _really_ don't have time for this. That man that just ran past is in big trouble, and I need to make sure he knows exactly how much trouble his is in.'

'What the hell do you mean?' he asked. 'Why are you chasing him?'

'Why do you care?' she asked, trying to step past him again. She knew that she should have just turned to mist and floated past him, but some _stupid_, stubborn part of her was refusing to listen to her brain. It was taking over, asking her to just stay a little longer with him, and the rational part of her mind was almost giving in. _What would a minute or two matter?_ She thought._ He wouldn't get far, not when you can use the air to your advantage…_

She groaned, trying to be frustrated at him as he forced the white mist to swirl around her. She disappeared, the rational part of her mind indulging in a quick victory smile. She appeared just behind him as she took off running again, her leather coat sweeping out behind her as she disappeared around the corner.

Logan had never wanted to follow someone more in his life. He just resisted the urge to drop his groceries and chase after her. He forced himself to keep walking back to his motorbike, though he still glanced over his shoulder, hoping that she would come back.

He cursed his thoughts, knowing it was irrational to think she would ever want to see him again. She hadn't exactly been pleased to see him the first time.

* * *

Sepharina scolded herself as she made up lost ground, the man just ahead of her as he ran, glancing over his shoulder. He wouldn't see her though, not when she was in her mist state, floating ever closer to him as a white streak.

Resonance stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, preparing to draw a breath. He could amplify sounds, turning his voice into a weapon, and now with Ghost on his heels, he had to do something.

'Don't even think about it,' she hissed, her grip tightening on his neck, his breath taken from his lungs as she pulled him into an alleyway, the people on the sidewalk completely oblivious. She slammed him hard against the wall, watching as he clawed at her hands.

'You have murdered eleven people in the last two months, Resonance. You could have used your power for good, but you decided to destroy families instead,' she said. 'As per the families wishes, you will turn yourself into the authorities and never see me again, or you will die by my hands.'

He stared, his eyes wide as the words sunk in. The brown gaze turned pleading.

'You will get no mercy from me. You killed innocent people. I am passing on the message I was hired to pass on. Now make your decision.'

She secured his hands tightly behind his back, giving him just enough air to speak. 'I will turn myself in,' he choked, the air disappearing from his lungs again, cutting off his scream of pain as she snapped his wrist.

'Good boy,' she said.

His breath was ragged, his eyes full of tears. 'I have one question.'

'What?'

'Which one are you?' he asked. 'Are you the Ghost, the Deadly Mist or the White Raven?'

She smirked, brushing her lips over his ear, his body shaking with fear. 'All of them,' she whispered as she stepped back from him, though she kept her grip on his neck. 'Now run along, and know that I'll be watching.'

Resonance sprinted off as soon as she released him, disappearing into the crowd, heading straight towards the police station. She almost smirked as she continued down the alley, turning to mist.

She fell back onto her bed, pulling her boots from her feet before she shed her coat, the leather falling to the carpet with a thud. She took a breath, making the air swirl around her, but she didn't find the breeze as comforting as she normally did. Something wasn't sitting right, and she had a feeling that she knew what that something was.

She couldn't get Logan off her mind. They had met in the cathedral well over a month ago for only the briefest amount of time, and yet he had featured in all of her dreams. When she had run into him, she had wanted so much for him to see past her glares, to see the pain inside and take her into those big, strong arms and tell her that everything was alright.

But of course, he hadn't. He couldn't read minds after all, and she was so good at hiding every hint of emotion, every little smile or blush that might give away her weaknesses.

She had been trained to wear mask after mask using her own skin, and for the first time ever, she wanted to drop the charade and let Logan – a man she barely knew – take the pain away. For just a while, she didn't want to be the Ghost, the Deadly Mist or the White Raven that the underworld was beginning to fear. She wanted to be Sepharina, and she believed that with Logan, she could be.


	3. Psionic

PSIONIC

They had only met twice, but she was still in his dreams every night, months passing. He tried to shake her from his mind, but he continued to dream of her taunting him, of holding her as she cried in the cathedral instead of saying such _stupid_ things.

And then there were the dreams after which he found himself waking in all his morning glory, the dreams that made him feel even stupider after each time.

Logan threw his feet over the edge of his bed, rubbing his eyes before he went to the bathroom. When he came out, a towel over his shoulders, catching the water falling from his hair, he had already decided on what he wanted to do for the day.

Central Park was always beautiful, even in the worst days of winter, where the rain fell in torrents and the wind ripped through even the warmest coats. He parked his motorbike at the very end, making his way into the park, staring up as the sunlight filtered through the trees.

Then the sunlight turned to darkness.

The screaming started, the people in the park staring up at the swirling darkness, shapes moving through the black. They sprinted away, heading towards an exit, any exit, all glancing up at the darkness as it swirled.

Logan stood still, staring up, watching as the darkness spread over the trees. The leaves decaying as the trees ahead of him started to shrivel, moving over his head. He sprinted forward, towards the centre of the park. He burst into the clearing, staring out at the Great Lawn. Even staring through darkness like night he could see a man standing in the clearing, looking up to the sky, his hands held high.

He sprinted forward, keeping his claws concealed. 'Hey,' he called as he neared the man. 'What do you think you're doing?'

'Creating havoc,' he answered calmly, his voice accented, his eyes riveted on the sky. 'What does it look like?

'Just stop,' Logan said, holding his hand up. 'It's a Saturday. This is supposed to be my day off.'

He looked down from the sky, his gaze meeting Logan's, a smirk on his lips. 'I don't care,' he said. He put a finger to his temple and Logan was thrown backwards with a yell of surprise. He crashed into decaying tree, only to find that it was solid.

It was all an illusion.

The tree fell backwards as he stood. He brushed the leaves and bark from his jacket. 'You're a psionic,' he said, pointing an accusing finger at the man.

He applauded, his purple gaze bright. 'I am Manipuler, and I _like_ havoc.' he said, his accent French. 'Apparently you like pain.'

Logan cried out, stumbling as he gripped his head, pain ripping through his skull. He was thrown backwards again, missing the trees. He hit the grass, sliding across the green for a moment before he rolled to a halt.

'What are you doing here?'

Logan looked up, coughing as he tried to catch his breath. He was staring up at a woman in a coat, her white-blonde hair a stark contrast to the black of the leather. 'Sepharina,' he said, his voice a little strained.

Her breath almost hitched as she looked down at him, the man of her dreams for so many months. 'Kitten,' she said, making her voice as blasé as possible. 'Seriously, what the hell are you doing here?'

'Well, I was enjoying my weekend and all of a sudden there was a psionic,' he said, brushing himself off, marching back towards the Great Lawn.

'He's my psionic,' Sepharina said, gripping Logan's collar. She dragged him backward. 'You go home and play with your ball of yarn.'

Logan rolled his eyes, turning to face her. 'What do you mean by _your_ psionic?'

'He's a target and I'm an assassin, so therefore, he's my psionic,' she explained in a bored tone, though she feared his reaction.

Would he be scared? Would he be sickened?

'You're an assassin?' He quirked an eyebrow, looking her up and down for a moment.

Apparently he was amused.

She copied his expression. 'Would you like me to take the air from your lungs?' she asked. 'If not, get the hell out of my way. I have a target to take out.'

He stepped into her path, ignoring her sigh. 'Who's paying you?'

'No one. This time anyway. This guy is very high on my personal list,' she said, stepping around him. 'Now, go run home Kitten. I don't have time to play any more games with you.'

She disappeared in a whirl of white and he swore, sprinting towards the clearing again.

She wrapped her fingers tightly around the man's neck as he tried to draw a breath. The mist in her eyes was swirling around her slowly as she tightened her grip. He brought a finger to his temple and she was thrown back suddenly, flying straight towards the trees at the edge of the Great Lawn. Logan leapt forward, enfolding her body into his arms, gasping as his back collided with a tree. The wood groaned and cracked, the tree falling to the grass.

'Jesus Christ Kitten, how much do you weigh?' she asked, pulling loose from his grip, brushing leaves from her hair.

'Stop calling me that,' he coughed. He pulled a branch from his thigh with a gasp of pain, his eyes squeezing shut. He held his leg for a moment before following her as she stormed back into the clearing.

'No,' she growled, that white mist swirling around her. 'Okay Manipuler, you've _really_ pissed me off.'

'Should I be scared, Ghost?' he asked, casually flicking a piece of lint from his shirt.

'Oh yes,' she said, her body glowing brighter with every step. 'Yes you should.

'What are you going to do to me?' he asked. 'You tried to take my breath and I threw you away like a ragdoll.'

She held up her hand and he gripped his throat, his eyes wide. 'I only took a little,' she said. 'Let's see how you cope with none.'

He tried to bring his hand up, but she caught it. 'You're not going to throw me again.'

'I can still hurt you,' he choked.

She almost laughed but the sound was taken by a scream as a fire ripped through her, causing her body to crumple. She hit the grass hard, her back arching from the ground as she screamed again.

'What are you doing?' Logan growled.

Manipuler smiled, the look manic as he stared at Sepharina's writhing body. 'I'm making my escape.'

Logan clenched his fists, his claws lengthening as he leapt forward, only to cut through air.

A laugh echoed around him, filling his mind as Manipuler appeared at the other end of the Great Lawn, a devilish smile over his lips as he disappeared into the trees.

He cursed. 'Fuck I hate illusions.'

He looked down at her as she moaned. Her body was flickering white, turning to mist and back as she writhed, every inch of her skin still burning. He dropped to his knees, pulling her into his arms. 'Sepharina,' he said. 'Can you hear me?'

She gritted her teeth, opening her eyes. 'Of course I can, Kitten,' she growled, her jaw clenched tight. 'I'm not dead yet.'

'You're in pain.'

'No fucking kidding,' she bit out. She tried to move her arm but screamed. Manipuler was more powerful than she'd thought.

'I have to get you somewhere safe to rest.'

Her eyes widened as he pulled her into his arms, cradling her against his broad chest.

Just like he had in her dreams.

'No you don't,' she protested, wishing she had the strength to at least hit his chest feebly. 'Put me down.'

He grunted. 'Yeah right,' he said, hiding his fear with sarcasm. 'I'll just set you on your feet.'

He couldn't work out why he cared so much, why he was so concerned for her, for the pain she was still feeling, but he was. The thought of leaving her in that park alone sickened him.

'Just come and lie down for a while,' he said. 'I don't live far from here. You can rest and head on your merry way.' But even as he said the words, he wondered. _Could I really just let her go, let her walk away from me, when she is finally in my grasp after so long…_

'Fine,' she grumbled, snagging his concentration.

She had no other choice but to accept his kindness. She was well and truly stuck, her only option to allow him to carry her to his home, probably to place her on his bed, a place that she wasn't sure she could stand to be in without the feelings she had locked up inside coming out to play, just to torment her. He would be so close, his strong arms so reachable, his broad chest so possibly lickable if she played her cards right…

She mentally cursed her thoughts. She had only met him twice so many months ago. The feelings were irrational, caused by the brain melting pain she had felt at the hands of Manipuler.

But when she'd been aching, her heart tearing at her, it had been him that she thought of. She had always imagined his arms around her, that deep, gruff voice reassuring her that everything would be okay.

And at night, when she'd been so completely wracked with desire, it had been him that she'd thought of as she stroked herself. When she'd thrown herself into orgasms that had her screaming with toe-curling pleasure, she imagined that it was his fingers caressing her, or his hot tongue tasting her, or his…

_Stop it, _she commanded herself, just withholding a shiver. She needed to keep her mind in the right place, but being held so tightly against a chest that she believed would be perfectly toned beneath the thin white t-shirt was making it difficult.

She decided that the walk to his apartment couldn't possibly end sooner, but she felt so safe in his arms, so completely content in a way that she had not since she'd lost Clara.

_I could just forget it all, just for a little while, _she thought, resting her head against his chest. _For just a couple of hours, I could let go…_

So she did.


	4. Attraction

ATTRACTION

He could hear her heartbeat become steady, her body relaxing in his arms as she drifted off. He looked down at her, her beauty still stunning him, just as it had on that first night.

And now he held her in his arms. Her eyes were tightly closed as she rested, completely trusting him to watch over her. He wanted to hold her like this forever, to never have to let go, though he knew he would have to.

Unless he could think of a way to make her want to stay…

He felt his lips curl, but the smile quickly disappeared. She would never be attracted to him, not when she could have any man that she wanted.

_But what if…_

What if he could make her skin tingle, make her desperate for his touch? What if he could make her beg for it? Would it be wrong?

_Yes, _he told himself, trying to push the idea from his mind, though he wanted so desperately to pursue it. He pushed thoughts of motorbikes and the cigar he would enjoy when he reached Gambit's apartment.

No matter how attracted he was to her, he still felt as though he were holding dynamite in his arms. He had to remember that even the most beautiful things in this world could be deadly, and he had a feeling that she was one of the deadliest of them all. What was it that Manipuler had called her? Ghost?

He shook his head, wondering if he should get his hearing checked.

Logan reached the apartment and placed her on his bed. He pulled off her shoes, the platform boots so high that he wondered how she could walk in them, let alone run. He frowned at her heavy jacket, pulling it from her body, trying and failing to avert his eyes. Beneath the leather, she was wearing only a short black top and tight, perfectly fitted leather pants that were buckled multiple times at the sides, revealing glimpses of her perfect skin all the way to her hips. He bit his bottom lip, pulling the covers high before he forced himself to step back, to leave the room and keep his thoughts controlled.

He wondered what it would be like to slowly unclasp those buckles, to pull her clothes from her body and expose her porcelain skin…

He shook his head, moving to the liquor cabinet. He poured a glass of the first thing that his hands grasped, taking a swig of whiskey. For a while he sat contemplating the glass, staring blankly out the window, wondering how he was going to catch Manipuler. After talking to Gambit for a while, asking him to get information on the Frenchman but leaving out the part about having a beautiful woman resting in his bed, he searched for a cigar. He stepped out and onto the balcony to light it, his claws making short work of the ends. He took a pull, inhaling deeply, but the usual calming effect that cigars had was absent.

He cursed. _Stop it, _he thought, gripping the handrail as he looked out at the city. _This is ridiculous. She's only here to rest. As soon as she wakes up, she'll make a run for it._

But she had seemed so at ease in his arms as he carried her from the park. Was it really that difficult to believe that she would feel at ease with him when the pain that Manipuler had inflicted on her had passed? It seemed possible, but he feared getting his hopes up, even though he wanted to feel something.

He shed his jacket, dropping it onto a chair as he walked back into the apartment. He stopped in the doorway to his bedroom, looking over her resting form, knowing that she would be out for a while longer. He figured he could have a shower while she slept. He was covered in dirt from rolling across the grass and hitting the tree, and wanted to make sure that there was no blood on him after the branch had stabbed his leg. Although he healed quickly, the blood didn't wash its self away.

Logan pulled his shirt off as he walked to the bathroom that was attached to his bedroom, dropping it into the wash basket before he kicked off his shoes and jeans. He turned the taps, the hot water quickly filling the room with steam as he stepped under the flow.

He stretched his arms over his head, pushing his hair from his eyes as he washed bark from the dark strands He quickly scrubbed his body, washing the blood from his thigh to find smooth skin beneath the thick red.

As he scrubbed higher, he wondered if he should have closed the door, but habit had made him forget. He glanced to the side, looking through the bathroom door at the bed, checking that she still slept soundly. She was out, but the covers slipped down her body as she rolled over, her back facing him.

He bit his bottom lip, his eyes instantly locking onto her creamy skin. The back of her short shirt was made of only a thin mesh, barely visible on her skin. Although his thoughts instantly wondered how soft her skin would be, his eyes were drawn to the massive tattoo that covered most of her back. The tattoo was of a raven, its eyes staring straight into his as if it knew he was watching. Its wings spanned her shoulder blades, the black roses that it carried in its talons hung down her back, some falling from its grasp.

He'd have to ask her what it meant when she woke up.

He guiltily averted his gaze for a moment as she rolled onto her back, her sleep seeming restless. Her fingernails dug into the covers, her lips parted as her back arched. What was she dreaming of that caused her such unrest? Was it a nightmare? Or was it…

She moaned, her legs shifting beneath the covers, pulling them lower down to reveal her legs. He watched as she moved, shivering as he wondering what it would be like to have those slender limbs wrapped around his waist, to feel her fingernails digging into his skin as she raked them down his back.

'Shit,' he muttered, his shaft as hard as iron from his musings. She moaned again, and his cock twitched, the sound filling his ears as though she were right beside him.

He had to make a decision. He could either try to ignore his arousal, or he could take his release. He hadn't had a woman in months, had been denying himself ever since he saw her. He tried to tell himself that every time he'd been out, no girl had caught his eyes, but he knew that really he'd just been craving something unattainable.

But now she was lying in his bed, sleeping, dreaming of something that was setting her blood on fire in a far different way to Manipuler.

He had to take his release, the pressure in his cock becoming too much to bear. But there was no way to know when she would wake up. He could try to close the bathroom door but the hinges that he'd been neglecting to oil would squeal. She would wake up and see _everything_.

Or he could leave the door open and just hope that she would remain asleep and within her dream while he – quietly – took care of himself.

He took his shaft tightly in hand, stroking himself slowly, allowing his eyes to follow the line of her body, watching as she arched again, her nipples hard against the black shirt. He imagined what her breasts would feel like in his hands, how she would taste as he circled his tongue around those tight buds. Would she moan loudly when he added a little suction? Would she beg for more?

Would she like him to use his teeth?

He just stifled a moan as he rested his forearm against the wall of the shower, just below the arm of the shower head. The hot water cascading over him felt like a caress. He stroked faster, closing his eyes as he leant his forehead against the tiles below his arm, his knees shaking slightly at the quickened pace of his hand.

He'd never needed release more.


	5. Caught

CAUGHT

Her eyes flew open, her breath sharp. She'd had one of _those_ dreams whilst in _his_ bed. Her cheeks flushed as she pushed her hair from her eyes, looking around the room to check that he hadn't seen her tossing and turning as she probably had been. The dream had been far more realistic than the others, far more satisfying, though she didn't reach the end. Her nipples were still aching, her clitoris throbbing in time with her erratic heart.

She stayed still for a moment, catching her breath, trying to slow her heart as she listened for any telltale signs of Logan moving around in the apartment, but all she could hear was water running through the pipes. She looked to the side, the running water close by.

Her jaw dropped when she saw him, the door to the bathroom wide open. His eyes were closed, his forehead and arm against the tiles of the shower, supporting his body, his knees shaking. He could open his eyes to her at any moment and catch her watching, but even with that knowledge, she couldn't take her eyes off of his powerful arm as he stroked himself, his shaft so large even in his hands.

He bit his bottom lip, trying to stifle a moan, but it escaped, the deep sound sending vibrations through her entire body. Her nipples ached, the fabric of her shirt suddenly too coarse, her breasts begging to be uncovered. But she couldn't give in, even as her centre clenched, screaming for the attention it had been denied for weeks.

She really wished that she'd taken some time to make a date with her electric friend last night.

The muscles in his arm bulged as his hand quickened, his back arching, his head hanging. His lips were parted as he moaned, not bothering to stifle his sounds of pleasure as his chest heaved. She could hear his ragged breath, his moans more frequent as he neared his climax, his whole body appearing tense.

Her mouth was dry, her fingers gripping the covers tightly, her eyes riveted on his hand as his strokes became as erratic as her heartbeat.

He threw his head back suddenly, his mouth open in a silent cry as came, his seed spilling over the tiles in hot bursts, the moment dragging on for a lifetime as she watched, wishing so desperately that she could join him, that she could be the one to bring him his release.

A shudder moved through his body as he leant his back against the wall of the shower, tilting the showerhead toward the tiles. He was just as perfect as she thought he'd be. Her eyes wandered over his body, from his chiselled cheekbones and jaw to his sculpted chest and abs. She notice a chain around his neck, dog-tags hanging from it, breaking up the dark hair that was sprinkled over his chest, tapering to a point before it appeared again, just below his navel, the path leading straight to that impressive length.

It was then that he opened his eyes.

Two things she was sure of; one: He had seen her watching, though he couldn't possibly know that she'd watched the entire show, and two: he'd been thinking of her.

She turned around, her back to him as her cheeks flamed. 'I'm sorry…I didn't…I just…' she stuttered, mist collecting around her as she prepared to flee, not sure if she was embarrassed about being caught watching, or about being caught _enjoying_ the sight.

'Wait.'

His voice was a deep rumble, laced with desire so potent that she shivered, wishing that he would say something else, even as she said, 'I should go.'

Hands appeared beside her thighs on the mattress as he leant forward, the heat of his body surrounding her, his breath hot against her skin, still ragged as his lips brushed her ear. 'Were you watching me?'

She stilled, her breath catching at his rough tone, the words vibrating through her just as his moans had. Water dripped from his hair and onto her skin, her shoulders exposed without her coat. He'd come straight from the shower, and he hadn't had time to grab a towel.

'Answer me,' he growled.

'Yes,' she said, the word coming out weaker than she had hoped.

'And did you _like_ what you saw?'

She shivered, her heart thumping against her ribcage. 'God yes.'

His lips brushed over her ear again. 'I know how much you want me.'

'How?' she managed to ask.

He took a breath against her skin, his fingers gripping the covers beside her thighs. 'I can smell it,' he said, his hot lips brushing her neck. She moaned as his tongue flicked over her neck, her skin igniting. He smirked. 'You want me just as much as I want you.'

'Yes,' she breathed.

'When was the last time you were with a man?'

What was the point in lying? 'A long time ago,' she admitted.

'And when was the last time you touched yourself, the last time you stroked your flesh until you came?'

'Weeks ago,' she moaned, wondering why he hadn't touched her, why his hands hadn't reached to grip her thighs, why he'd only brushed his lips over neck. God, she wanted that tongue to do more than just flick over her skin.

He was silent for a moment, his hot breath tickling her neck. 'Would you like me to take care of your needs?'

'Please, Logan,' she said, her words a desperate whimper.

He gripped her shoulder, turning her to face him, claiming her lips roughly. There was no way he could be tender, not when she moaned against his lips, not when he knew that she had been so aroused by seeing him pleasure himself.

He pushed her back into the pillows, kneeling over her as he stripped her shirt. He groaned at the sight of her bare breasts, her pale skin so soft as he brushed his hand over one of the generous curves, leaning to take one of her nipples into his mouth. She cried out as he sucked, his teeth grazing over the rigid tip, the metal of his dog-tags causing gooseflesh to break out on her skin.

His cock was already as hard as iron, desperate to be buried deep within her as she made those tantalising sounds of need.

But he was going to take his time.

He slid lower, throwing his dog-tags onto his back to keep them out the way. He could have made short work of the buckles, but he slowed himself, his cock twitching each time he pulled one of the straps. He trailed his lips over every inch of skin he revealed, moving down each leg before he dropped the garment to the ground, leaving her clad in a lace g-string that had him almost purring with pleasure.

He stroked her from the outside of the lace, feeling how damp the fabric was from her arousal. 'You're so wet,' he growled, his deep voice drifting through her like a caress. He stripped her of the lace and it followed her pants. 'Let me see.'

Her knees feel wide at his command, her body shuddering at the groan that escaped his lips. She could feel the heat of his gaze, the intensity searing her sensitive flesh, the heat increasing as he knelt between her legs, his breath drifting through her fine, blonde curls.

He kissed the inside of her thigh, so close but so incredibly far. 'Would you like me to taste you, Sepharina?'

'Yes!' she exclaimed, her clitoris throbbing at the thought of his tongue on her delicate folds. She arched her hips, so desperate for him to do _something_.'Please Logan.'

He moaned at his first taste, her cry filling his ears as his tongue circled her clitoris. He gripped her hips tight with his hands to keep her still as he licked her greedily, wanting to taste every inch over her luscious sex. Her fingers wove into his hair, tugging at the dark strands every time he flicked his tongue over that tight ball of flesh.

He smirked as a wicked thought came to mind. He gripped her hips tighter as he closed his lips around her clitoris.

Then he sucked.

She screamed, a fire ripping through her, her back arching as she climaxed. Her toes curled, her centre clenching fiercely, his tongue still teasing her as she came harder than she ever had.

Yet she still wanted more.

'Fuck me Logan,' she breathed as he kissed his way up her body, his hands skimming her thighs. 'I need to feel you inside me.'

'I've wanted to hear that for so long,' he moaned, his teeth grazing her neck until she shivered. He kissed her, her arms wrapping tight around his neck, drawing him impossibly closer as he trailed his fingers over the inside of her thigh, climbing higher and higher. 'Ever since I first met you, I've dreamt of you, dreamt of satisfying all of your needs, emotional, physical.' He paused, looking straight into the swirling mist of her eyes, the white shining out at him. 'Something tells me that you've dreamt of me too.'

A blush coloured her cheeks, the pink so adorable. 'Yes.'

'Good,' he growled, sliding his fingers over her slick sex, her back arching as he stroked her deep inside, one finger turning to two.

She moaned. 'Please Logan,' she breathed.

'You're so tight. I don't want to hurt you.'

She bit her bottom lip, holding him close as she rocked her hips insistently, forcing his fingers deeper, his cock throbbing with the knowledge that he'd soon be buried within those tight depths. She moaned as he withdrew his fingers, feeling him settle between her legs, his tip at her entrance, preparing to enter her slowly, to allow her to get used to his length.

She had other ideas.

She wrapped her legs around his hips, forcing him deep within her, a strangled cry escaping his lips. 'God Sepharina,' he breathed, his teeth grazing her neck. 'You're so tight, so hot.'

She rocked her hips again, crying out as she took him deeper, her nails raking down his back as he thrust, meeting her movements with the determination of a wild man. He claimed her lips, growling as her whole body arching to him. He ran his hand over her breasts, teasing her pert nipples.

'_Harder_.'

Logan's lips curled into a wicked smirk as he levered himself up, his weight on his arms, her moans urging him on, sparking the fires deep inside that compelled him to move faster. He gripped the headboard, the metal groaning as it bent in his hand, the whole bed frame shaking with the force of his thrusts. A shudder shot through him, growling as she clutched his hips, her nails ripping over his skin before they dug into his backside, his muscles taught beneath her fingers, twitching from her touch. She couldn't get enough of him, of his hot skin and powerful body over hers, of every mind-blowing thrust, igniting a pleasure that was sending her spiralling ever closer to the edge of sweet oblivion.

Her whole body started to glow, the white mist spreading from her eyes to flow around them, shining in the light that poured through the windows. He was mesmerised, his eyes wide in wonder as he met her gaze, heat searing through him. He released the bed head, gripping her hips. He dropped his head, desperate to kiss her, to feel every little gasp and moan that came from deep within her. He claimed her lips, his kiss rough, passionate, demanding that she return it.

And she did, moaning as his tongue caressed hers, his teeth grazing over her bottom lip as his hands moved over her body, his thumb grazing over her aching nipple, eliciting a sharp cry from her, his rhythm merciless, his hips grinding against hers.

All of the combined sensations were becoming too much for her, her whole body screaming with pleasure, her skin on fire as she climbed closer and closer to her climax.

'Logan, I…I need to…'

His teeth grazed over her earlobe, his breath hot, ragged against her skin as he said, '_come_.'

She cried out, his name falling from her lips, her body arching to him as she climaxed, her sex clenching around him, so hot and tight as he continued to drive into her, a strangled cry wrenching from him, his eyes rolling back as he came, a shudder ripping through his body that left his arms weak.

Hell, it left his whole body weak.

He collapsed, his hard body pressed against hers, his chest heaving. She ran his fingers through his hair, the strands still wet from his shower, with sweat, with effort. She had demanded everything from him, every ounce of power and strength that his body possessed.

And God he'd been willing to give it to her.


	6. Truths

TRUTHS

He was completely drained, and damned if he was going to move any time soon. Some part of him didn't want to let her go, as though something deep inside, a voice like an instinct was saying _mine._

'Logan,' she breathed, her voice almost a raspy, still heavy with lust. 'As much as I love where you are right now, you're heavy.'

Oh, right.

He rolled, holding her against him, their positions reversed. 'Better?' he asked, brushing her hair from her eyes, the pale strands cascading over his chest. He reached down, pulling the covers over them, though he left her back bare as he trailed his fingers down her spine.

'Yes,' she sighed, nuzzling into his chest, her arms wrapping around him. A little growl rumbled through him, a playful sound, content. For a moment, she could have sworn that he'd been purring. She placed a kiss on his chest, his skin hot against her lips, the muscles beneath twitching ever so lightly at the contact.

The mist around them faded and he watched as the white disappeared from her eyes, revealing the pale blue of her eyes. 'You're so beautiful, Sepharina,' he said, smiling, watching as her cheeks flushed pink. 'Your skin glows. It's the most amazing thing I've ever seen.'

'You wouldn't think that when I'm angry,' she laughed, her chin on his chest as she met his gaze.

'I do,' he whispered. 'The first night I met you, despite the entire situation, I couldn't stop thinking about how breathtakingly beautiful you were. I've never stopped.'

The pink brightened. 'I couldn't stop thinking about you either. That's why I got so angry with you last time, when I was chasing that man.'

'I thought it was because I stopped you.'

She shook her head. 'No. Really, I was angry with myself. All I wanted was for you to hold me, no matter how stupid it seemed. I just wanted to forget everything for a while. Forget death and pain and my work.'

'You said your friend died.'

'She was murdered. I should have been there, but I'd stayed late with my Master to train and only arrived in time to hold her in my arms as she died.'

'I'm sorry.'

'Thank you, Logan,' she said. 'I just wish that it wasn't needed.'

He wrapped his arms tightly around her, placing a kiss on her forehead. She stifled her tears, the gesture so completely caring, understanding. 'Is that why you became an assassin?'

She froze, her hand resting on his ribs. 'I didn't think that you believed me,' she admitted. 'You seemed pretty sceptical.'

'Well, to think that such a fragile looking beauty could do that sort of thing is a little bit of a stretch.'

'Now we both know that I'm not fragile,' she said, smirking as he hissed, her nails raking down his side. 'I can stand my ground. I could have kicked your fine ass in that cathedral, _Kitten_.'

'It's still a surprise.'

She laughed before falling silent for a moment. 'In a way, yes. I was training with my Master before Clara's death, but it was just martial arts, all of that sort of thing. It wasn't until after that I confronted him with the possibility of following that path,' she said. 'I started to take targets. People would pay me to take out murderers or rapists. Eventually I had my own list of scum – mostly from New York's underworld – that I would pursue. But I would always give them a choice. Turn themselves in, or die.'

He took in a breath, falling silent.

She looked up, her hair falling over her face. 'Do you think it's wrong?'

'I think it's dangerous,' he whispered, sweeping her hair from her eyes. 'It scares me that you'd willingly pursue people who would kill you without a second thought.'

She shrugged. 'For a long time, I didn't care if I died. I was empty, with nothing but my work as an assassin to give me purpose in the world, especially after I killed the man who was behind Clara's and many other girls' deaths,' she said, her voice harsh as she said the last words, 'but now I know that it's more than my purpose. It's a calling, urging me to help those that need it, that have no means of protecting themselves.'

'It's good that you're following it,' he said, trailing his fingers over her spine again, recalling the tattoo he'd seen on her back. 'What does the raven mean?'

'I got it after Clara's death. I knew that, in some ways, I would have to become a raven. In some cultures, the raven is a trickster like the Norse God Loki. In others, the raven represents the mystery of the unknown. I needed all of the things that a raven represents, good and bad, in order to help people,' she said. 'And, the raven is also known to be connected to the element air, like me.'

'Really.'

'Really,' she said. 'One of my names in the underworld, where I am a myth told to scare lesser criminals, is the White Raven.'

'But Manipuler called you Ghost.'

'People have experienced different sides of me, different forms of my power. In some places, I'm known as the Ghost or the Deadly Mist. Most don't know that all of the names are for just one person.'

She was dangerous, just as he had suspected, but there was also more to her. She wasn't an assassin because she was thirsty for blood. She was just trying to protect people, trying to use the powers she had to fight for those that couldn't.

He felt pride over her courage, the goodness that he could see in her eyes. Suddenly, he felt so sure about her, about his desires to keep her with him, to hold her. He couldn't let her carry all of those burdens alone.

That little bit of instinct that had called out to him before became louder. _Mine._

'I've told you my story. So, what's yours?'

He tensed beneath her, his hand coming to rest on her back. 'I don't know.'

She lifted her head, resting her chin on her forearms. 'What do you mean?'

'I can't remember anything that happened before a couple years ago. The first memory I have is of waking up on an island surrounded by rubble, Gambit at my side, and these dog-tags around my neck.' He touched the chain, pulling the dog-tags into view.

She took them from his hand, tracing the imprint in them. 'Wolverine,' she read. 'Is that what you're called? Because of those claws?'

'I don't know,' he said, a small shrug lifting his shoulders. 'It might be, but I don't even know my real name, where I come from, what I've done. I don't even know how old I am, though apparently I could have lived for a hundred years and still look exactly as I am because of my regenerative abilities. All I know about my past before that is that I was experimented on.'

'How?'

'A metal called adamantium has been bonded to my bones.'

'No wonder you're so heavy,' she laughed.

'Oh Sepharina, you're so mean.' He smiled, lifting his head to kiss her, his arms wrapping around her to pull her closer. She rest her arms on either side of his head, her fingers playing with his hair.

She hadn't felt so good for so long.

He pulled away suddenly, looking to the door, his eyes narrowing slightly before they widened. 'Shit.'

'What is it?' she asked, following his gaze.

'Gambit's back early and he's heading this way,' he said, slipping from beneath her. 'I'm going to try and head him off before he just barges in. He's never been one for knocking.'

'Sounds like a nice guy.'

Logan rolled his eyes, grabbing his jeans from the bathroom. He pulled them on, hastily zipping them up, though he didn't bother with the top button. He could feel her gaze on him the entire time and smirked, glancing back at her as she nibbled her bottom lip.

_God that smirk is sexy… _She snapped out of her thoughts, hearing footsteps. She pulled the covers up to her chest, watching as he stopped in the doorway just as someone approached from the other side. He blocked her view, his broad shoulders hiding Gambit's face. All she could see was a long coat.

Logan leant his hand on the doorframe. 'Had a bad run?' he asked, even though he could see that Gambit's pockets were stuffed with cash, and maybe a set of car keys.

'I never have a bad run,' Gambit said, trying to inch his gaze around his friend, wondering why Logan was being so protective of his room. 'You sounded a little high strung when I talked to you earlier so I thought I'd come check on you.'

Logan leant a little to the right, keeping Gambit's view blocked. 'That's very considerate, but I'm fine.' A little to the left. 'I was just a bit riled after that fight.' A little to the right again.

'What are you hiding?'

Logan quirked an eyebrow, though he knew he still looked guilty. 'Nothing.'

Gambit stared for a moment. 'Alright,' he said, stepping back before ducking under his friend's arm, a victory grin on his lips–

That disappeared in the next moment.

He cursed, his nose pressed to the wall as though he were being held there. He tried to move his hands, but they wouldn't budge from beside his head, the toes of his shoes against the wall. He cursed again. 'If I hear even one little snap from a rubber glove, you're in some major trouble big guy.'

'That's the least of your worries.'

Gambit tried to turn to his friend, more confusion washing through him. 'Geez, Logan, where'd you learn to sound so pretty?' he asked, hoping he sounded a little tougher than he was feeling. There was a soft laugh, the sound beautiful, but somehow it still chilled him to the bone. He just stifled a shiver. 'That wasn't you, was it, Logan?'

A familiar gruff tone answered, amusement within it. 'Nope.'

'I'm sorry about pinning you to the wall, but I don't like it when people barge in unannounced,' Sepharina said.

'Wait, wait, wait,' he said, a little idea coming to mind. 'I think I know who you are.'

She looked to Logan, who shrugged in reply. She turned her attention back to Gambit. 'Really?'

'You're the girl who was making all of those tornadoes around Old St Patrick's Cathedral,' he said. 'Man, I wish I hadn't sent Logan to check it out. You sound gorgeous.'

'You sent Logan?'

'Yeah. People were getting a little freaked out by the weather so–' He gasped as he fell backwards, only to be caught in a set of slender arms. He looked down, so surprised that it took him a moment to realise what was going on.

She was hugging him.

'Thank you,' she whispered.

'Ah…No problem.'

'No, really, if you hadn't sent Logan to the cathedral, I wouldn't have met him,' she said, pulling back after a moment. She held the edge of the sheet tight, tucking it in to wear it like a dress.

Gambit turned carefully, watching the quick glare that Logan threw his way, telling him that if he even slightly lowered his eyes past her chin, he was a dead man.

Suddenly, he was feeling that his good run could come to a very abrupt stop.

'We haven't been properly introduced. My name is Remy LeBeau. You may call me Remy or Gambit,' he said, bowing for a moment. 'Hell, with a beautiful voice like yours, you may call me whatever you like.'

'Cute,' she said.

He smiled, flashing a glimpse of beautiful white teeth. 'And what may I call you?'

'Sepharina,' she said, taking the hand that Gambit offered, expecting a handshake. Instead, he brought it to his lips, ignoring the low growl that rumbled from Logan's chest.

'So, what brings you here, Sepharina?'

'We encountered a powerful psionic that pretty much knocked me out,' Sepharina explained. 'He sent a strong bolt through my mind that left me weak, so Logan brought me back here to rest.'

Gambit smirked. He looked Logan up and down, seeing his dishevelled hair and hastily slung on jeans. His gaze flickered to Sepharina, who was wearing nothing but a sheet – Logan's sheet – as clothing, her clothes scattered on the floor, a bruise on her neck that looked suspiciously like a bite. 'Just resting?' he asked. 'Because it looks like you've been doing the naughty.'

Logan dropped his gaze to the ground, clearing his throat.

Sepharina just smirked, stepping behind Logan as she wrapped her arms around his waist, her fingers trailing over the hem of his jeans. She looked over his shoulder at Gambit, her lips brushing Logan's ear. She grazed her teeth over the lobe and was rewarded with a little shiver. 'Well, well, well, Logan, I think he's a little jealous.'

'Actually, I'm surprised.'

Logan, quirked an eyebrow, his fist shooting out to give Gambit a playful punch. 'Shut up.'

'You know I'm just teasing,' he said, dodging the hit as he backed towards the door. 'I guess I'll leave you two love birds alone.'

Logan closed the door behind his friend, Gambit's laughter echoing through his ears.


	7. Promises

PROMISES

Sepharina stretched under the hot water, the spray feeling so good as it cascaded over her skin. She looked over her shoulder as she heard footsteps, watching as Logan's jeans fell to the tiled floor.

'Mind if I join you?' he asked.

She pulled a serious look over her face. 'Yes. I've suddenly decided that I'm going to become a nun and am taking a vow of celibacy.'

He paused, his eyebrows high. 'Please tell me you're joking.'

She rolled her eyes, sweeping her hair over her shoulder. 'I wouldn't last long before I asked you to take me.'

He smirked, stepping under the water with her. 'Really?'

She bit her bottom lip as he trailed a finger down her spine, just resisting the urge to shudder with pleasure. She could feel the heat of his body, the warmth surrounding her. 'Really,' she said, a little breathless as he gripped her hips, pressing his hard chest against back.

He lowered his lips to her neck, placing kisses on her creamy skin. He kissed the mark on her neck, a smirk on his lips. 'I'd do everything I could to make you break it, anyway.'

'And if I decided that I was serious about it?'

A deep chuckle rumbled through him, his breath hot against her skin as he said, 'I'd have you on your back and screaming within five minutes.'

She shivered. 'Promise?'

'I vow it,' purred, his voice taking on a husky tone as he nipped at her neck, his teeth grazing over her heated skin.

'Logan, I have to stay focused. If I'm going to hunt down Manipuler, I need to be thinking about finding him. I can't be thinking about you, about your broad chest and, and strong arms.' She bit down on her bottom lip, his hands sliding around her waist, his fingers brushing over those fine blond curls as they snaked lower. 'Really, Logan…'

'Of course you do,' he rasped, resting his hands on her thighs for a moment, so close yet so far, his rough touch sending a fierce clench straight to her centre. She gasped as he bit down on the mark.

'Fuck it,' she breathed as she turned on her toes, her arms wrapping around his neck.

* * *

Logan and Gambit leant over the map of the city that Sepharina had spread over the table, their brows drawn in an identical expression.

'These are the places he frequents?' Logan asked, pointing to one of the red dots on the map.

'Yep. The blue dots represent the places he stays, and the black his associates,' she said, pointing to the various colours in turn.

'What are you thinking?' Logan asked, looking to Gambit.

'I think that if she's going to be sticking around, we need to get thicker walls,' Gambit said, flinching as Logan slapped him on the back of the head, though he still laughed, a wicked glint in his eyes. 'Sorry, I couldn't help myself,' he admitted, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye. 'But seriously though, I'm happy that the two of you are getting along so well, but if you're going to be fucking like bunnies, then at least buy me some earplugs.'

He gasped as he felt fingers wrap around his neck, the touch light but menacing as he met her gaze, the blue swirling with white. She was crouching on the table in front of him, smiling as she leant close, her grip his neck tightening. 'Remy, let me ask you something,' she said, tracing a finger over his cheek, his gaze glancing to it as though it would somehow burn him. 'How many times have you kept Logan awake when you've had a girl here?'

'Uh…'

'Too many times to count,' Logan said, a smirk curling over his lips.

'Then if I like to scream when I'm having the most amazing, toe-curling orgasms that I've ever experienced, then that's none of your business.' She flashed him one more smile before turning to mist, appearing beside Logan.

Gambit straightened his collar, smirking. 'I'll remember that,' he said, looking to Logan. 'She's feisty.'

A wicked grin curved over his lips as his gaze locked onto her, a hungry glint in his eyes. 'I know.'

'I'll be more than feisty is you don't stop talking about me as though I'm not here,' she said, white mist swirling around her as she let the threat sink in.

'Right,' Gambit said, clearing his throat. 'Where is he most likely to go on a Saturday night?'

She shifted her finger across the map. 'Xorcism. It's a mutant club, so we won't be obvious,' she said, glancing up to Logan before shifting her finger across the map again. 'He usually either goes home with a girl sometime just before midnight, or he plays poker–'

'Poker, you say?' Gambit interrupted, sitting straighter.

'Yes. He plays a few hands out the back of an associate's strip joint called Incendie.'

'Sounds like my sort of place,' Gambit said, a smirk curving his lips.

'If you're as good at poker as you say, then you might be able to hold his interest enough that he'll be tempted to stay longer and play more hands. If he ends up at Incendie, then you keep him there until I arrive.'

'What about me?'

'I can travel much faster Logan because I can turn to mist. You'll follow on your bike.'

'And if he takes a girl home?'

'We follow him,' she said, voice tight with anger, her fists clenching on the table top, 'before he can get her somewhere secluded.'

Logan scrutinized her for a moment. 'Why is he on your personal list, Sepharina?'

'Personal list?'

They ignored Gambit, gazes locked as she took a quick breath. 'He doesn't just like to scare people with illusions. He doesn't just crave havoc. He's a sadistic bastard that rapes and murders women and he keeps getting away with it because of his ability to create illusions.'

'I feel like I'm only getting half a story here,' Gambit said, leaning in to break their gaze.

She turned to him. 'You want to know what I am?'

'I think it would be best if I'm going to help you.'

She steeled her features. 'I'm a trained assassin,' she said, waiting for him to laugh for a moment before she continued. 'Not only do I take targets, but I have my own personal list of scum that people are too afraid to confront alone. I never just kill them though. I always give them a choice to turn themselves in, or die.'

'What do they normally choose?'

'They should have just tuned themselves in instead of trying to make me their next victim.'

'You're either very stupid or very brave.'

'I'm just trying to help people.'

Silence fell for a moment as she folded the map, tucking it into her coat pocket.

'I have a question,' Logan said, leaning against the table. 'Won't he recognise us?'

She shook her head. 'Our first encounter left him mostly blind, so unless he got a really good, close up look of your face, like, nose to nose, then he won't because we'll keep our distance.'

'He knew one of you aliases. He flicked lint from his shirt, for Christ sake. If he's mostly blind, how could he see it?'

'I took his breath when I first attacked him, so he recognised my technique,' she explained. 'Also, he uses illusions, remember. He's hiding his weakness so no one can play on his vulnerabilities. That's why he was practically ignoring you when you attacked him.'

'You were the bigger threat,' Gambit said, shifting as Logan glanced at him with an arched eyebrow. 'Well, mentally speaking because she knows his weaknesses. You'll always be the bigger threat physically.'

'_Anyway_,' Sepharina interrupted. 'We need to get ready now and head out to Xorcism and Incendie. Give me your phone Gambit.'

He passed it to her and she quickly added her number to speed dial and his to hers, handing it back a moment later.

'If he doesn't turn up, then I'll send you a message and vice-versa, but wait until two,' she directed.

Gambit gave a mock salute, standing up. 'I guess I'll go put on a clean shirt. Can't have Manipuler thinking I'm not serious,' he said, walking off to his room.

She watched him go for a moment before she leant on the table, rubbing her eyes. 'I'm going to head back to my apartment to get changed.'

'I'll take you, then we can head straight to the club,' Logan said, glancing at the time. It was only eight o'clock, so the club would have only just opened. Plenty of time…

He shook his head, trying to keep his focus on the plan, only to fail miserably. He kept looking to Sepharina, seeing what was under that heavy leather coat as though he had x-ray vision.

He closed his eyes, rubbing his hand over his mouth, thinking of cigars and bikes and poker, forcing his mind to kick into action in a different way, his progress completely undone as she wove her fingers with his.

'Are you alright?' she asked, trailing a finger over his cheek in a gentle caress.

He took a hitched breath. 'Fine, just worried,' he said, catching her hand to hold it tightly. 'He really hurt you last time.'

'And you took care of me,' she said, resting her head on his chest, smiling as he kissed her forehead.

He smirked. 'You couldn't have stopped me if you'd tried.'

'Get to the club already,' Gambit called from his room.

'He's really jealous,' Sepharina said, smirking. She stood on her toes, placing a quick kiss on his lips.

'He'll be fine. He's going to a strip joint to play poker, after all,' he said, wrapping his arms around her, drawing her close, that same strange instinct shouting '_mine_' just as it had before when he claimed her lips in a lingering kiss.

She pulled back, her mind spinning as she took a shaky breath. 'We really should go,' she said. 'Before I pin you to the table.'

A low growl rumbled from his chest. 'Promise that you'll do it later?'

'I promise.'


	8. Xorcism

XORCISM

It wasn't even nine o'clock, and Sepharina had reassured him that Manipuler wouldn't arrive at Xorcism until after ten thirty. There was plenty of time, but Logan wasn't going to waste the opportunity that had been given to him, so he drove fast to the club.

'How the hell did you pass your test?' she called as he swerved around corners, her grip on his waist tightening.

He laughed. 'That's the thing,' he called back, skidding into a parking spot. 'I don't remember passing it,'

She unclenched her hands, sliding from the bike, thankful that she was wearing a fur coat – gorgeous black faux fur, of course – over her dress, though she missed the familiar feel of the leather of her favourite coat. She took a breath, glad to be back on solid ground. She scraped her four inch heels over the concrete to feel the vibrations, just to reassure herself. 'Next time, I'm going to find my own way.'

He laughed, swinging his leg over the side, though he stayed perched on the bike. 'It wasn't that bad, was it?'

She nodded, hugging her coat tightly around her as a breeze tossed her hair, sending a chill down her spine. She gasped as he gripped her hips, pulling her against him, his body warming her instantly. 'You drive like a maniac,' she said, resting her hands on his chest, trailing them down his body, a smirk on her lips as she fiddled with his belt buckle. 'I mean, you frightened me Logan.'

He wrapped his arms around her as the most adorable pout came over her lips. 'I'm sorry,' he said, kissing her cheek, his lips slowly moving along her jaw. 'I didn't mean to.' He flicked his tongue over her bottom lip, coaxing her into a kiss, smiling as her arms wound around his neck.

'I bet you planned it, just so you could comfort me after to make yourself more appealing.'

'Well, it appears that my devious plan is working,' he laughed and she smirked, catching his bottom lip between her teeth, feeling a shiver ripple through his body. He trailed her hand from her knee, his rough palm moving up her thigh, an appreciative growl rumbling in his chest when he found no hem. She hadn't let him see what she was wearing, but he climbed higher and higher, yet there was still no dress or skirt to be found.

She pulled his hand away, holding it tightly as a wicked smirk curved her lips. 'I think we need to go to the club.'

She had to use all of her strength to step away from him, though he instantly wrapped an arm around her waist, turning his head to place a kiss on her temple. She bit back a sigh, knowing that it was just a little gesture of kindness. Though some part of her felt an odd sort of connection to Logan – and not just because he pleasured her in ways she'd never imagined possible – she knew that once she had taken out Manipuler, he would turn against her.

But no one had ever listened to her like he did.

Except for Clara.

She had been left alone, but now this scruffily sexy man was taking her into his arms, listening more intently that anyone ever had. Not only that, but he didn't judge her for the choices she had made, even though so many people would. If she didn't know better, she would have thought that she was falling for him. It was an irrational notion though, so she squashed it into the depths of her heart, preparing to deal with it later.

They walked down the steps to Xorcism, lights flashing into the night before the doors could swing closed. They stopped beside the bouncers as they stepped in front of the doors, their arms crossed over their broad chests. Sepharina smirked inwardly, flashing them a smile as she re-wrapped her coat. The bouncers' eyes dropped straight to her leg as she flashed the creamy skin of her thigh, their tongues darting out to lick their lips.

Logan bit his tongue, withholding a growl, knowing that she was just getting them in, though he wished there were another way. But after just a second, the bouncers stepped aside, eagerly letting Sepharina pass, though they frowned at him as he squeezed through the opening after her.

He almost asked her why she didn't just try other means to get in, but his thoughts became a jumbled mess as she shrugged her coat off, handing it to an attendant, the tiny little dress hitching high on her creamy skin.

He raked his gaze over her, the little blood red dress just covering the black, lace g-string he knew she was wearing from above and below, though the fabric was stretched tight over her deliciously curved ass, giving him such a good view. As if it wasn't good enough, it was backless, and he was drooling, her tattoo on display, a clear, thin plastic strip keeping the sides from bearing her breasts.

And when she turned, it only got better.

The neckline swooped low, those plump, generous curves barely being held back by the skin tight fabric.

Now he was licking his lips.

He bit his bottom lip for a moment before reaching out to grip her hips possessively, drawing her closer as he claimed her lips, feeling her gasp before she melted into his embrace.

'Save it for the dance floor,' the attendant called. Logan flashed him a grin before he led her through another set of doors and into the brighter, flashing lights of Xorcism, music booming in his ears. He placed a hand low on her hip, his arm around her, feeling her hand rub lazy circles over his back.

They had to make their way past the long bar to reach the stairs that led down to the dance floor, and Sepharina was suddenly finding the trip somehow daunting as every woman perched at or around the bar swung their gaze to Logan. A quick white glare sent most of their hungry gazes fleeing, but one brunette seemed intent on ogling him.

Yes, it was irrational, but Sepharina was pissed.

As they passed, she swung her arm in an arch, landing her hand on one of his finely toned cheeks before she gave it a squeeze, glancing over her shoulder with as smirk just to watch the woman snarl.

She looked up at him, his teeth clamped firmly over his bottom lip. He looked down at her and she pulled a pout over her lips. 'I'm sorry, was that a little rude?'

'Not at all,' he rumbled, his voice like a caress as it vibrated through her. He tightened his grip on her, his lips brushing her ear. 'You're just making it difficult to walk.'

She hid a smile, a selfish little part of her pleased with herself. While she had him, no matter how short that time might be, she was going to stake her claim.

They stopped on the dance floor and he instantly pulled her against him, his knee pushing between her creamy legs. Her leg came to rest in a similar spot, their bodies entwined as he trailed his hand down her back, feeling every inch of her exposed flesh before they came to rest on her ass, squeezing her just as she had squeezed him.

She just stifled a moan as he brushed his lips over her shoulder, his body moving to a rhythm that rubbed her in all the right places. She wrapped an arm around his neck, letting the other trail down his side, feeling his muscles clench beneath his shirt as she brushed her fingers over his ribs. She dipped her hand into the back pocket of his jeans, giving him a quick pinch that caused him to buck forward.

'That's just not fair,' he said, nipping at her skin.

'Who ever said that I would play fair?' she asked, doing it again, smiling innocently at him.

'Some selfish little part of me is hoping that Manipuler doesn't turn up tonight, just so I can have you all to myself.'

Funny. She'd just been thinking the exact same thing about him.

She shrugged. 'Maybe you'll get your wish, maybe not. Only time will tell.'

'But we have to wait until two to find out if anything is happening,' he moped.

'Either way, Logan, before the sun is up, I promise to pin you to whatever piece of furniture is most convenient at your place and then ride you so hard that you'll be seeing stars for a week,' she purred, a flash of white mist appearing in her eyes. 'I wonder if your walls are soundproofed to the neighbouring apartments…'

He growled, pressing her impossibly close, his fingers digging into her generous curves as he ground against her. 'How am I going to be able to concentrate?' he asked, emphasising his question with another thrust against her, his shaft already rock hard in anticipation of her words.

'I guess you'll find a w–' She gasped as he ground his leg hard between her thighs, a jolt of heat rushing through her body. She didn't have time to wonder about how he'd turned her legs to jelly before he did it again, her head almost lolling to the side.

'I'm sorry, I didn't catch that.'

'I guess you'll find a way to deal,' she said, a little breathless.

'When we get home, you're in for it.'

_When we get home_, she thought. The way he had said it made her heart flip. Happiness filled her, only to receive a very strong kick from pain. He made it sound like it was their place, not just his or hers. Although she liked the notion, she knew it was just some desperate part of her brain hoping that he would never let her go, hoping that he would never see the other side of her – no matter how much he seemed to accept it – like he soon would if Manipuler arrived.


	9. Shadows

SHADOWS

Sepharina hadn't been happy for so long, but with Logan's arms around her, she felt safe, genuine smile after genuine smile covering her lips. After wearing her own skin as a mask for so long, it was nice to let all of her emotions free.

But it had to end. She had been watching Manipuler out of the corner of her eyes since eleven. It had been a little over half an hour and he seemed to be preparing to leave, a woman on his arm. Sepharina felt a burst of fiery rage rush through her as she watched his arm snake around the girl's waist. She was young, probably only just old enough to be allowed into the club, unless she'd gotten in on a fake ID and a quick flash of some skin.

'What do you see?' Logan asked, his lips to her ear as she continued to peer over his shoulder.

'He's leaving with someone,' she said, unable to hold the bite out of her voice. 'Fuck, that bastard is going to do it again.'

She took his hand, dragging him along as she followed, keeping a few people between them and Manipuler, just to be sure that they remained unnoticed. She flicked her phone open, leaving Logan wondering where she'd kept it as she sent a quick message to Gambit.

She stopped, grabbing her coat hastily from the attendant before they shot through the club doors, following the sound of high-heels. She leant close to Logan. 'If they turn around or even glance back, you push me to the closest wall and snog me like there's no tomorrow.'

'As if you needed to instruct me…'

She glanced pointedly at him, keeping him close as she pulled her coat on. Even as they carried on light, suggestive conversation – talking of getting a hotel, among other things – intent on lulling Manipuler and the woman into a false sense of security, her mind was sifting over the map. She could guess exactly where he was going, though. There was an abandoned building close by that belonged to one of his associates, one that he could easily reach, even with little sight.

She'd also learned that it was where he'd raped and killed his other victims.

Sepharina could feel her anger coming to a boiling point deep inside her, but she wasn't going to allow it to overtake, not when she needed to remain in control of her emotions.

The woman glanced back then and Logan pinned Sepharina to the wall, edging her towards an alley. 'You know, I don't think I can wait until we get to a hotel,' he said, dropping his lips to her neck.

She forced herself to giggle like a schoolgirl as they disappeared down the narrow path, though she felt ridiculous. The woman would never know that it was fake, not when Sepharina was so very good at disguising everything, but it still took all of her strength not to call out to the too-trusting girl to tell her to run for her life.

'I know where they're going,' Sepharina said when Logan pulled back, their footsteps fading into the night. 'Wait here for Gambit.'

'I'm not letting you go alone,' he said.

She trailed her finger over his jaw, leaning forward to place a kiss on his lips, hoping to convey all that she felt for him. She leant her forehead against his for a moment, taking a breath. 'Please Logan, I have to do this.'

'But you don't have to do it alone.'

'Yes I do. I'm not letting you get hurt.'

'That's not all, is it?' he asked. She closed her eyes for a moment and he knew it was true. He could see the shame in her eyes when she finally opened them, though she tried to hide it. He opened his mouth to argue that Manipuler was scum not worthy of compassion, only to find that the air had been forced from his lungs. He stared at her, his eyes wide, watching the mist as it spread for a moment, beginning to consume her. 'What are you doing?' he gasped.

'Keeping you safe,' she whispered. She'd never be able to forgive herself if he was hurt when it wasn't his fight to begin with. Manipuler didn't know who he was, so even if she were to fail, he would be safe. She loved him too much to let him get hurt. Manipuler would break his body, but she would break his heart.

She fought tears as she withheld his breath. He had told her that he could regenerate, so she could suffocate him until he blacked out without fear of permanent injury, but it didn't mean it was any less painful to do it. She knew that he would be too strong to contain, so it was the only way. 'I'm sorry, Logan.'

He reached for her as she stepped away, still gasping for breath, darkness dancing in his vision. He stumbled toward to grasp her coat, but his fingers merely clutched at air as she turned to mist, disappearing as a white streak. 'Seph…' he rasped, fighting against the black as it tried to consume him, his lungs on fire, his whole body desperate for air.

He fought, but the darkness won.

* * *

Sepharina watched as Manipuler led the woman into the building, closing the door behind them. She shifted carefully on the balustrade of the spiralling staircase, disappearing into the shadows as they climbed, his hand trailing over her body. She locked up her emotions, keeping them in a little box she reserved for the times when they were affecting her judgement, but her stomach still churned violently with the knowledge of what he intended.

She pressed her back against the wall, completely shrouded in shadow. As soon as they had passed, she dropped her coat, pulling a pair of lycra pants from a concealed pocket, a shirt following. She pulled them on, stuffing her dress inside as she dug quickly in another concealed pocket at the bottom of the coat where she found fabric shoes, made specifically so that she could step with as little sound as possible. She donned a pair of gloves as well.

She wouldn't usually bother with such a specific change of clothes, but she had to make sure that she could surprise Manipuler. If he sensed any other presence, he could kill the woman before Sepharina could reach him.

She stuffed her coat and heels into the dark corner, using a window to peer around the corner before she followed their voices. The woman was laughing, but the sound quickly turned to questions, a tiny bit of fear leaking into her tone, growing with every word.

She eased up against the wall beside the door, hearing a loud slap of skin, followed by a cry of pain. She bent low, looking through the key hole just as Manipuler slapped her again, a vicious smile over his lips. She couldn't wait to wipe sick the expression from his face.

He flew backwards suddenly, his eyes wide with surprise as Sepharina darted into the room. He hit the wall, his arms pinned far from his head. He cursed as she shouted at the woman, 'run!'

Not needing another hint, the woman leapt to her feet, running into the hall.

Sepharina turned her attention back to Manipuler, levelling her gaze, hatred flaring through her as he laughed, his lips curling into that same vicious smile. 'We meet again,' he said, flexing his fingers. 'That's twice in the same day. I might start to think that you're stalking me.'

She cried out, gripping her head as pain rippled through it. His arms must have been an illusion, she realised just as she dragged her eyes open, rolling away from a kick that was aimed at her head, only for it to land squarely in her stomach. She coughed, drops of blood falling to the floor as she wrapped her arms around herself.

'You're weak,' he spat, his fingers rising to his temple. She screamed again, her body almost crumpling as fire ripped through her veins. 'Why don't you just give up. Let the pain consume you.'

She gritted her teeth, fighting to remain standing as she wiped blood from her lips. 'Never.'

'You never learn, do you, Ghost?' he asked. 'Though, not giving in isn't your first mistake of this night. Your first mistake was telling that girl to run, instead of just signalling. I may not be able to see you, but I can hear you. I can use every sound you make to pinpoint your location, whereas you have to rely on sight.'

'Just you watch,' she growled. She leapt back into the shadows, pulling a hood over her head to conceal her hair and face, watching as his smile was replaced with a frown. He turned his head slowly, listening intently, waiting for the slightest sound.

She darted out of the shadow, hitting only air as his illusion disappeared, but she'd been expecting it. She closed her eyes, letting her training take over, allowing instinct to flood her senses. She could feel the currents of air in the room, feel it shifting as he moved, though he silenced his footsteps with his illusion. She felt a rush of air just to her left and struck out, hearing a gasp as she landed a foot in his ribs. She dropped to the floor, rolling low, feeling a gust of air rush past her. She reached up, gripping the hand just long enough to snap a few fingers, hearing him cry out. She flipped him quickly onto his back before she leapt back into the shadows, watching his illusion flicker for a moment.

'How?' he asked, but she didn't reply, knowing that he would use her answer to pinpoint her location. Instead she circled him, jumping to land her feet on his back, a smile ghosting over her lips as his head hit the floor with a loud thud, but she didn't stop to revel in the pain he felt though. She disappeared again, watching as he raised his head, flinching as his skull throbbed. 'How?' he repeated, his voice a little higher. 'How are you doing this?'

She darted forward, gripping his neck, taking the air from his lungs as she stomped on his hands, breaking the rest of his fingers. She brought him to his knees, seeing the fear in his gaze. She pulled the hood from her head, letting her hair float around him as it glowed bright. 'You said it yourself,' she whispered, her breath causing him to shiver. 'I'm a ghost.'

* * *

Logan forced his eyes to open, his lungs still burning as he dragged himself from the darkness of unconsciousness. He stood, clutching the wall as a wave of dizziness washed through him. He took a breath, dragging as much air into his lungs as possible, not because he needed to breathe, but because he needed to find her. There was no scent though, just the usual odours of the night.

But there was also perfume.

_It has to be the one that the woman was wearing, _he thought, taking off at a run. He rounded the corner, keeping a hold of the scent, desperate to reach her. She'd run off alone to take on a man who could cause her unimaginable pain with a glance.

He had to reach her, had to protect her. That strange instinct that had been shouting _'mine'_ was working in overdrive, ordering him to protect her, to protect the woman that he was falling for, the woman he'd started to fall for since the moment he'd seen her in that cathedral.

And if he didn't reach her, she may never know.

He found the building that the scent led to, clearing the short staircase up to the door in one bound. He sprinted up the spiral staircase, pausing for a moment. He looked into the corner, seeing her coat, a flare of fear ripping through him as he followed the perfume along the hall, hearing a voice.

'How are you doing this?' it asked, the accent familiar, though there was fear in it, making a flash of relief wash through him as another familiar voice answered.

'You said it yourself,' she said. 'I'm a ghost.'

He shot through the door, seeing her hands on Manipuler's head, a crack sounding as she turned his head sharply to the side, letting him drop to the floor with the heavy thud of dead weight.


	10. Needs

NEEDS

He just stopped himself from stumbling back at the sight as she looked up, her eyes wide. She shook her head, tears in her eyes. 'No,' she whispered as she stood up. She stepped back, pressing herself against the wall, hoping so desperately that it would devour her. 'No.'

'Sepharina–'

'Please, no,' she said, white mist floating around her. _Oh God, he saw me, he saw me do it, _she thought. She could see the horror in his wide eyes, see it in the way his body tensed, ready to flee.

He stepped forward and she slid to the side, trying to keep her distance. 'Go, Logan,' she pleaded.

'Why?' he asked, taking another step forward, his heart sinking as she sidled away again. 'Why should I go?'

'You can't tell me that you're not afraid,' she said.

'You just ran off to face him alone. Of course I was afraid.'

She swiped at a tear, not meeting the gaze she could feel on her skin. 'You know what I'm talking about, Logan, I can see it in your eyes,' she said. 'You just saw me kill a man.'

'He wasn't a man. He was a monster,' he spat, angry with himself. He should have walked straight over to her and pulled her into his arms. Instead, he'd hesitated, and his stupid mistake had cost him. She would run and he would lose the best darnn thing that had happened to him for as long as he could remember.

'You don't believe that.'

'You're wrong,' he said, darting forward. He put a hand on either side of her face, leaning close even as she cringed away. 'I do believe that, and I'm not scared of you. I know that you do this, that you do it to fight for the people who can't, just like the woman that he would have killed tonight, probably where he is lying right now.'

'That doesn't mean a thing.'

'But it does,' he argued, his voice almost a growl, 'because even though you don't accept yourself, I accept you. The strength and courage that you view as flaws are just a couple of the reasons as to why I love you.'

Her eyes snapped to his, the tears glowing from the mist. 'Logan…'

He placed a finger against her lips, pressing gently to keep her quiet. 'What you do is just another facet of your life, one that makes you who you are, and I will always love you for who you are, Sepharina.'

He grasped the back of her neck, bring her lips to his, pouring ever ounce of love into a kiss filled with such raw emotion that Sepharina felt the little box inside her fly open, his strong embrace defeating all of the fight she had left. She melted into his arms, feeling tears roll down her cheeks, though they were no longer from pain or sadness.

'Take me home,' she whispered against his lips, her fingers entwined in his hair in a desperate bid to hold him close. 'Please, Logan.'

As much as he tried not to, his eyes still darted to the side, resting on the body of Manipuler for a moment.

'No one will ever know, Logan. One of the benefits of being an assassin is that I don't leave a trace of evidence and I've been presumed dead since Clara's death. When they find the body, they'll assume that it was some drug deal gone bad, and they'll file it away,' she said. 'So please, let's just grab my gear and get out of here.'

He nodded, pulling her along beside him. They scooped up her coat and she pulled it on, carrying her heels as they walked to his motorbike hand in hand in silence, the trip back to his apartment the same until – much to their displeasure – Logan's phone rang, Gambit's number flashing on the display.

'It's taken care of,' he said as he answered.

'Are you sure?'

He glanced to Sepharina. 'Very.'

'Do you want me to head back to the apartment then?'

Logan cleared his throat, lowering his voice. 'Actually, I was wondering if you could get a hotel tonight…'

'Oh,' Gambit said after a moment of confused silence. 'Ah, yeah. I can do that.'

'Thanks. I'll see you tomorrow.'

He snapped the device shut, dropping it onto the table top beside the door as he shed his jacket. He stopped behind Sepharina, carefully pulling her coat from her shoulders. He draped it over the back of a chair before drawing her close, burying his head in her neck. He took a breath, the scent of her skin comforting somehow. 'I thought that I might lose you tonight,' he said. 'I was afraid that I wouldn't get the chance to tell you that I love you.'

She entwined his fingers with hers, drawing them tighter around her waist. 'I love you too, Logan.'

He turned her slowly, trailing the backs of his fingers down her cheek before he claimed her lips, feeling her body meld to his. He wrapped his arms around her, hoping that he would never have let her go, desperate to hold her close forever. He lifted her, her legs instantly wrapping around his waist as he carried her to the bedroom.

He pulled back, his breath harsh. 'I need to be inside you, Sepharina,' he said. 'I need to make love to you.'

'I need you too,' she breathed. 'And I'm not about to break my promise.'

He smirked, sitting on the end of the bed. He tugged on the hem of the lycra shirt, stripping it from her body in one smooth motion, revealing her creamy skin, the moonlight filtering through the window making her glow. He shed his shirt in the next moment, pressing his body against hers just to feel the heat of her skin, the reassurance that she was really there, that she really was his.

She ran her hands over his back, his ribs, his chest, any bare flesh that she could touch before she slid her hands to the front of his jeans. She unclipped his belt, pulling it through the loops before she dropped it to the ground, her fingers instantly returning to undo the top button, the zip sliding down with ease just a second later. She dipped her hand beneath the band without the interference of boxers, her fingers wrapping tight around his shaft. He moaned against her lips, his hips bucking as she stroked him, her other hand pushing him onto his back.

He looked up as her hand disappeared, watching as she stripped her pants, the lycra falling to the floor in a heap. He kicked off his own jeans with difficulty, shuffling back on the bed, his thoughts occupied as she stripped that tiny black g-string.

She straddled him again and he sat up, kissing her until her breath came in sharp pants, his hands trailing up her thighs in a light caress before he slid a finger between her delicate folds, a gasp escaping her lips as he stroked her deep inside. He rolled his thumb over her clitoris and felt her knees shake against his hips, her body arching towards him.

'I have to have more of you, Logan,' she said, gripping his wrist to still his hand. 'I have to have all of you.' She pushed on his chest, easing him back on the bed, her fingers trailing over his abdomen, watching as his muscles flexed beneath her touch. She grasped his shaft again and he shivered, his hands moving over her thighs as she rose to her knees.

He moaned as she guided him inside, the head of his shaft slipping into her tight sex, her heat surrounding him as she took him further into her body, her hands coming to rest on his chest again. He grasped her hips as he bucked higher, forcing her to take him deeper, his shaft completely enveloped. Her fingernails ripped over his ribs as she rose, moving just an inch before she dropped back down, becoming used to his width again, used to the way he filled her so completely. She could feel him throb and twitch inside her as she ground her hips, rising higher each time, the sensations intoxicating.

She moved hard and fast, her eyes swirling with white, the air around them beginning to turn to a slow whirlwind, caressing her skin. He growled as her fingernails etched lines in his chest that welled with blood, healing a moment later, his skin tingling.

'Yes Sepharina,' he breathed, arching to meet her body, his hands moving over her creamy skin, over her ribs, feeling her shiver as he brushed his thumbs over the sides of her breasts. He massaged her plump curves, his fingernails grazing over her nipples, her moans vibrating through his body as if they had come from his lips, as if he were feeling her pleasure as well as his own.

She could feel heat burning inside her, coursing through her veins right to her centre, coiling just like the mist into a hot spot that was driving her to the edge of insanity, the feeling so intense that it was almost painful. And the intensity only grew with every thrust, his body so strong beneath hers, driving her closer and closer to her climax.

'Seph…I don't know how much longer I can hold on,' Logan breathed, clutching her hips.

She gasped, his thrusts as quick as his breath. 'I know, Logan, I'm so close.'

'Not close enough.' He rolled, his weight on his arms as he angled his hips, pinning her beneath him as he drove into her, grinding hard against her with every thrust, her moans louder and louder with each desperate movement. He was so close, his control holding on by a thread, his cock so hard that it was painful, but he wasn't going to allow himself to tip into sweet oblivion without her.

Her eyes locked with his, the white shining as the fire exploding within her. His cry matched hers as she tightened around him, her body shaking as she came, milking his seed from his body with every clench of her sex. Her nails dug into his hips, holding on for dear life as he continued to thrust even as he shuddered with the effort, every ounce of his strength spent.

He gripped her thigh, taking her with him as he collapsed to the side, still buried deep inside her. He kissed her neck, his hand trailing over her cheek as he moved to her lips, feeling her quick breath against his skin. He brushed her hair from her eyes, watching as the white dispersed to reveal that beautiful pale blue.

She smiled. 'Ridden hard, as promised,' she laughed.

'Don't think that I'm done with you yet,' he said, kissing her again, her heart thumping hard and fast against her ribs, as he leant his forehead against hers, sighing as she tightened her arm around him. 'You're never going to be alone again.'


End file.
